Permanent dental prostheses are commonly monolithic units for the upper and lower teeth rows. Such dental prostheses are attached to a number of arbor implants that is only a fraction of the number of teeth in each prosthesis. Due to the low number of such arbors, their surgical implantation into a patient's gums is much less invasive and also more cost effective.
The attachment interface of such Prior Art dental prostheses requires a gap between the artificial gum of the prosthesis and the patient's gum. This gap is necessary to access the arbor and attachment posts for cleaning and to prevent building up of residual food particles and bacteria between the artificial gums and the patient's gums. Nevertheless, this gap is esthetically displeasing as it may become visible during a patient's smile. Moreover, the gap tends to produce a whistling or hissing sound during speaking. Also, the gap needs to be accessed along its entire length for cleaning, which may be difficult for a patient of advanced age and reduced arm and hand mobility. Therefore, there exists a need for a dental prosthesis with a sealed attachment interface and a fluid cleansing system that is simple and reliable to operate. The present invention addresses these needs.